A councillor says he urged a review to reduce standard allowances for elected representatives across Lichfield and Burntwood.
An independent remuneration panel has recommended a 10.1% increase in the money paid to all 47 members of Lichfield District Council, as well as bumping up the amount for some of the special responsibility allowances given to senior figures.
If approved, it would see the current basic allowance rate of £4,298 a year rise to £4,734.
A report to a meeting of the cabinet next week revealed that representations had been made by some councillors for an even greater increase to allow them to pick up enough to earn a living – calls that the panel rejected.
Cllr Alastair Little has joined fellow independent Cllr Joanne Grange in calling for the recommendations to be rejected – and said he felt they amount should have been reduced from the current figure.
The representative for Hammerwich and Wall said:
“I saw the independent remuneration panel and asked for a decrease of allowances for backbench councillors, but to keep the special responsibility allowances the same, as leadership roles are time consuming and very important in terms of decision making.
“It pains me that some councillors who attend community groups as volunteers then attribute this time as the role of a councillor and then demand to get paid.
“The role is a public service carried out by wanting do try and do good in the community not to get a living wage.
“A living wage is for the hard working staff of the council – something voted down by the Conservative-led council. “
Cllr Alastair Little, Lichfield District Council
Cllr Little, who quit as a Tory councillor in the wake of the partygate scandal, said suggestions that an increase would attract different people to stand for election were also wide of the mark, insisting party selection was a greater barrier.
“It goes without saying I will oppose any increase.
“Although I will be leaving the council at the next election, I am sure that the right people will be attracted – but the selection of candidates by the political parties may mean the electorate will not get to vote for them.
“To attract the right people – which was mentioned by some councillors at the panel – to the role, must be an admission that the wrong people have been attracted and currently sit on the council.”
Cllr Alastair Little, Lichfield District Council
“This is not a report written by the council”
Although representations were made to the panel, they have not been published alongside the review report and recommendations.
A spokesperson for Lichfield District Council said:
“We ask an external body – the independent remuneration panel – to assess the level of allowances every four years, although this latest assessment had been delayed due to Covid lockdowns.
“They take into account legislation on local authority member allowances, benchmarking data of other authorities’ allowance schemes, and the median earnings of all full-time employees in the Lichfield district.
“This is not a report written by the council, but one which we must commission every four years as part of our constitution.
“Any specific questions related to the content of the report should be addressed to the independent remuneration panel.”
Lichfield District Council spokesperson
